Balloon type gasholder



Sept. 1950 E. E. MICHAELS 2,523,318

BALLOON TYPE GASHOLDER- Filed Oct. 25, 1945 2 Sheets-shat 1 w I I ga p 1950 E. E. MICHAELS 2,523,318

BALLOON TYPE GASHOLDER Filed Oct. 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 26, 1950.

BALLOON TYPE GASHOLDER Ernest E. Michaela, Birmingham, Ala., assignor to Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, a corporation of Illinois Application October 25, 1945, Serial No. 624,489

9 Claims. (Cl. 220-85) This invention relates to a balloon type gasholder and more particularly to a gasholder com/- prising a central vertical cylindrical member and a plurality of radially arranged pairs of plates having axes parallel with that of the cylinder and sufliciently flexible to provide substantial gas space.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the gasholders infiated; Fig. 4 is a detailed horizontal section illustrating the attachment of the outer edges of the gasholder plates; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the attachment of the inner edges of the plates; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a modified form of the invention.

The invention is designed for application to any type of gas storage. It is particularly applicable to refinery storage where the system may be placed directly upon the top of a storage vessel. Th gasholder plates may be made of very thin material, and the arrangement indicated permits adaptation to whatever space is available. Th gas holders may readily be arranged to fit on the roof of a circular tank, or they may be made square and, therefore, may be adapted to the usual square areas above the fire walls between storage tanks.

As indicated in the drawings, the gasholder structur comprises radial rectangular gasholders H. These are made up of pairs of thin metal plates I2 and I3. Each plate is connected at its inner edge to an adjacent radial plate by means of a channel member l6 having flaring edges 24 and 25 to which the radially arranged plates are attached. The inner surfaces of th channel member l6 are connected by vertically spaced circular hoops or bands 11 arranged parallel to each other. Thus each pair of parallel plates l2 and I3 opens into the central portion I0 having a cylindrical shape and formed by the assembly of plates and channel member I6.

Suitable wind bracing is indicated at 30 in Figure 1.

The plates are preferably not given any preformed set, and, therefore, provide a minimum of permanent storage space when in their normal position. Whenever Storage is required, however, the plates flex into the position shown in Figure 3 and provide a very considerable amount of storage space with a minimum of metal. Inasmuch as all of the balloons feed into the central cylinder, the whole assembly may readily be mounted on top of the storage vessel or connected j thereto by means of pipe Illa, and to receive the normal expansion and contraction of gases therein.

.In Figure 6 I have shown a form in which certain of the gasholders, namely, 40, M, 42 and 43. are shortened so that the entire assembly fits into a square space. The holders may b shaped in other manners to conform to different spaces.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A gasholder comprising a hollow central vertical cylinder having. fixed walls and openings in the walls, and a plurality of pairs of vertically opposed flexible plates normally in parallel relationship toeach other, each of said pairs being radially connected to the cylinder at at least one point and the members of each pair being sealinglyconnected together at all other points to form a chamber in communication with one of said openings.

2. A gasholder as set forth in claim 1, in which the pairs of plates are rectangular in shape.

3'. A gasholder as set forth in claim 1, in which the pairs of plates are rectangular in shape, and are secured together at their top, bottom and outside edges by welding to the outer faces of the parallel arms of U-shaped channel members.

4. A gasholder as set forth in claim 1, in which some of th pairs of plates extend a shorter distance horizontally than others.

5. In conjunction with a volatile liquid storage tank, a gasholder adapted to receive expanding vapors from the tank comprising: a hollow central cylinder connected to the tank, a plurality of pairs of vertically opposed flexible members normally in parallel relationship to each other connected to th cylinder at at least one point, the members of each pair being sealingly connected to each other at all other points, and each pair being radially arranged about the cylinder, and passages connecting each pair with the interior of the cylinder.

6. The gasholder of claim 5 in which said cylinder includes a plurality of U-shaped channel members and the flexible .members are welded to the arms thereof.

7. The gasholder of claim 5 in which all of said pairs of members lie in planes substantially parallel to the axis of the cylinder.

8. In conjunction with a volatile liquid storage tank, a gasholder adapted to receive expanding vapors from the tank comprising: a plurality of outwardly facing U-shaped channel members vertically arranged to define a passage. a plurality of substantially rectangular flexible plates each having one side welded to an arm of said channel members and having the other three sides secured in vapor-tight relationship to the plate welded to the adjoining channel member to form a gasholder and means for connecting said passage to the tank.

9. A gasholder comprising a plurality of U- shaped channel members vertically arranged, securing means for securing said channel members in spaced outwardly facing relationship to form a central passage, a plurality of substantially rectangular plates. having one side welded to each arm 0'! said channel members and having the other three sides secured in vapor-tight relationship to the plate welded to the adjoining channel member to form a gasholder, and means for introducing gas to said passage.

ERNEST E. MICHAELS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

